Testimonials

Mary Magnani
Working with Samuel was a rewarding experience, both mentally and physically. The work we did at the track was faster and harder than I thought I could go. This made me physically stronger and gave me the confidence to push my running to the next level. The workouts were also extremely fun and Samuel is an amazing person to work with. I recommend Samuel to any runner of any level who wants to improve their running speed and increase running efficiency.

Van Melikian, age 16
Training with Samuel has been great for me. He has a wide repertoire of physical exercises that have improved my overall physical conditioning. He molds workouts based in a way that benefits my tennis game.

Armen Melikian, age 17
I first started working with Samuel going into my freshman year in high school. I was injury prone, the result of an over-eagerness to commit to long trail runs, poor form and inadequate stretching. Immediately, Samuel identified very specific faults, and by correcting them I cut all my times, ending trials feeling less exhausted and sore. The cross-country season reflected Samuel’s augmentation.
Since then, my training has expanded to include everything from quarter-mile intervals to beach runs, each session planned specifically with regards to my physical condition, injuries, and key workouts in the cross-country/track/off season. I work out hard, but rarely pay the burden of long-term fatigue characteristic of haphazard “all-out” workouts. Samuel’s training is smart and directed, which has kept me injury-free and constantly improving.

Marina Gelman
Samuel has an amazing ability to motivate and inspire me. Last year I completed 12 races, three of which were half marathons. I had PR’s in distances from 100 meters to the half marathon. He varies my workouts depending on my energy level. When I became ill in January of 2007, Samuel moved my workouts to the pool to accommodate me. Samuel is a kind, caring and thoughtful coach. You will love training with him.

Susan Haines
I enjoy working with Samuel because he does not overwhelm you with corrections and suggestions, but instead makes small corrections one at a time and discrete suggestions for each particular task he sets (running stairs, running hills, track workouts). These small changes resulted in immediate improvements for me, both in terms of increased speed and ease of running. Since I began working with Samuel, I ran a 5k personal best, taking 15 seconds per mile off my previous record. Best of all, his workout schedules are reasonable and can fit into my work schedule.

Lessley Anderson
When I started training with Samuel, I was in a depressing cycle of setting unrealistic goals for myself, failing to reach them, losing confidence, training inconsistently, insuring failure. Samuel approached our sessions with patience and compassion. As I began to improve my fitness, he gave me bigger challenges: intense speed workouts and a training program that included plenty of racing. I started to PR, and I’m on the road to being in the best shape of my life. Whether you’re a serious athlete or just trying to get in shape, Samuel meets you where you are, then takes you higher. And if your sport is running, specifically, Samuel is a dream coach. He’s passionate, ultra-knowledgeable, inspiring, and great fun to train with.

Robin Jackson
I have been training with Samuel for the past year a half. During that time he has consistently encouraged me to reach my goals and has provided me with both the moral support and the personalized training program needed to get there. Samuel’s positive reinforcement coupled with effective techniques has enabled me to become a substantially better runner. I cannot say enough about Samuel’s positive impact on my life and my running, and I highly recommend him as a runner.